Bookbinding machinery



y 23, 1939- R. LEIGHTON 2,159,439

BOOKBINDING MACHINERY Filed Oct. 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l WM! 7arkffa-aad Patented May-23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ApplicationOctober 26, 1938, Serial No. 237,121 In Great Britain November 4, 193712 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus, which is intended for use in theforwarding stage of bookbinding, in order to reduce the sewing swell orthickness of the stitched and preferably glued edge of a booksubstantially to the normal thickness of the book prior to applicationof a case or cover thereto. This step or operation is known as nippingand is usually performed by placing the stitched edge of a book in apress having a reciprocating head or plunger.

According to thisinvention books to be treated are carried betweenendless bands or belts of canvas or other suitable material through aplurality of sets or pairs of pressure rollers which are of such numberand are so disposed that pressure is exerted upon the books withoutintermission for a sufficient period of time to reduce to some degree ofpermanence the thickness of the sewing swells or stitched edges. Thebelts are '20 of sufficient thickness and are of suitable material thatthey present a substantial inflexibility when passing between thepressure rollers. The adjacent pairs of pressure rollers are alsoarranged sufficiently close to one another that the 2'; pressure exertedby said rollers through the belts to the books is not allowed to berelaxed throughout the passage of the books through the sets of pressurerollers. Moreover fiat guide plates or members are mounted betweenadjacent rollers to 30 assist in maintaining the pressure on the booksduring their passage through the apparatus and to prevent distortion ofthe books as they pass from one set of pressure rollers to another set.The distance between the members of each pair '35 of rollers can beadjusted as desired and preferably the distance between the members ofeach pair is separately determined; Only the intermediate parts of theadjacent reaches of the two belts are acted upon by the pressurerollers, the

10 parts of the reaches on both sides of the series of pressure rollersserving to grip the books and retain them in position during feeding toand movement away from the pressure rollers, such gripping of the booksserving as a substitute for manual feeding of the books between thepressure rollers and removal thereof as the books pass beyond thepressure rollers. The preliminary gripping of the books between thebelts prior to 50 the pressing operation ensures that the outer or beltto feed the books to and discharge them from the apparatus.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of a machine according 5 tothis invention,

Figure 2 is a partial plan thereof with several of the roller adjustingmembers and the endless bands omitted, and

Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section on 10 the line III-III,Figure 2, with some of the rollers omitted.

As shown in'the drawings, two endless bands or belts l, 2, of canvas orother suitable material are arranged one above the other and pass aroundrollers 33, 4 and 5, 6 respectively, the axes of the said rollers beinghorizontal and parallel to one another. The position of the rollers 3,4, 5 and 6 are suitably adjustable in order that the tension of thebelts or bands I and 2 may be varied as desired. The bands or belts areof sufficient width to receive one or more books, whilst the lower bandor belt 2 extends beyond the upper band or belt I and serves as aconveyor band for feeding books to the apparatus and for dischargingthem therefrom.

Intermediate of its length a series of driven rollers l, for example,five rollers as shown, carried in bearings formed in bearing blocks 8engage the underside of the upper reach of the lower band or belt 2. Theupper side of the lower reach of the top band or belt is similarlyengaged by a series of driven rollers 9 that are carried in bearingsformed in bearing blocks it and are arranged opposite the driven rollers"i which engage the lower band or belt. Thus the belts l, 2, passbetween sets or pairs of rollers that serve as pressure rollers, theroller in each series being arranged sufficiently close together toassist in maintaining those parts of the bands 4 or belts extendingbetween them sufliciently inflexible to transmit pressure from therollers continually to a book throughout its passage through the sets ofrollers. The journals or bearings oi the upper rollers 9 are carried invertical guides i l and the said upper rollers are each independentlyadjustable to vary the distance from its co-acting lower roller 1. Theadjusting means for each roller 9 consists of a spindle [2 arrangedtransversely of the machine above its associated roller and carried inbearing blocks [3 supported upon the guides H, the bearing blocks l3being retained in position by bolts l4 and springs i5 that are mountedabout the bolts l4 and press upon the bearing blocks with a pressurethat can be regulated by nuts IS. The spindle l2 has keyed thereon twobevel wheels I! that engage with bevel wheels l8 secured upon verticalscrew threaded rods l9 which engage screw threaded holes in the bearingblocks ID or in plates secured thereto. Thus upon rotation of a spindlel2, which is facilitated by a squared end portion thereof, itsassociated rods l 9 are caused to rotate through the gearing l1, [8,such rotation of the rods l9 causing the bearing blocks H to movetowards or away from the bearing blocks 8, thereby altering the distancebetween the rollers I and 9. In order that successive bearing blocks H]are limited in the closeness of their approach towards their associatedbearing block 8, the said movable bearing blocks ID are provided withextensions or lugs 20 that rest upon shoulders 2| on adjacent blocks.Thus, as can be seen from Figure 3, each pair of rollers can be setcloser together than the previous pair of rollers by an amount that islimited by the extensions 29 and the co-operating shoulders 2| ofadjacent bearing blocks, whereby if desired, the pressure on a bookpassing through the machine can be gradually increased to a limitedamount.

Furthermore the upper driven rollers 9 are preferably so disposed asshown relatively to the end rollers 3, 5, about which the upper band orbelt I passes, that those parts of the lower each of the said band orbelt between the end rollers 3 and 4 and the upper driven rollers 9 areinclined towards the upper reach of the lower band or belt in order thatwhen a book carried by the lower band or belt engages the lower reach ofthe upper band or belt, the pressure exerted upon the book graduallyincreases until it passes between the sets of driven rollers where thepressure is at a maximum. By this arrangement the book is subjected to asuitable pressure for a suflicient period of time to cause the sewingswell or stitched edge of a book to be reduced with some degree ofpermanence to the normal thickness of the book. After passing throughthe sets of driven rollers the pressure on the book is graduallydecreased until it passes clear of the upper band or belt. The holdingof the books between the belts prior to and subsequent to the passagebetween the driven pressure rollers replaces manual gripping for feedinga book to pressure exerting means and for removing it therefrom aftersubjection to the necessary pressure.

It has been found desirable to drive positively each of the rollers 'land 9. To this end each of the first four lower rollers I has keyed toits spindle a toothed wheel 22, the adjacent toothed wheels 22 beingconnected by idle or freely rotatable pinions 23. The spindle of thecentral lower roller is extended and has keyed thereon a toothed wheel24 and a gear wheel 25 which is suitably driven. The toothed wheel 24'isconnected through a freely rotatable toothed wheel 26 to a toothed wheel21 keyed on the spindle of the fifth lower roller. The upper rollers areconnected by suitable gearing to their associated lower rollers, suchconnection being effected in the case of the first, third and fifth pairof rollers by securing gear wheels 28 to the spindles of such lowerrollers, at the ends thereof remote from the toothed wheels 22, andsecuring to the spindles of the upper rollers, gear wheels 29. The gearwheels 28 and 29 are connected by suitable gear wheels 30 carried by anarticulated frame comprising two pairs of arms 3|, 32, pivin operationduring any requisite adjustment of the positions of the rollers.

The rollers 4 and 6 are also positively driven. This is effected byconnecting lay shafts 38 and 39 to the fifth upper roller and lowerroller respectively through toothed and chain gearing. The lay shaft 38is connected to the roller 4 through chain gearing whilst the lay shaft39 is similarly connected to the roller 6. Idle rollers 40 and 45,preferably faced with hard india rubber or the like, are carried by apivotally mounted frame and press the endless belt or band I against theroller 4. Owing to the rollers 40 and 4! being carried by a pivotallymounted frame, such rollers press against the belt or band with an equalpressure which can be varied by adjusting the position of the frame. Anidle roller 42 also presses the endless belt or band 2 against theroller 6. Such idle rollers 40, 4| and 42 serve to prevent slipping ofthe endless belt or bands and enables an increased driving effort to betransmitted thereto by the rollers 4 and 6.

Separate guide plates 33 are arranged between adjacent driven rollers land 9, which guide plates are adapted to engage the belts or bands I and2 to prevent any tendency of the said belts or relax the pressureexerted on the books as they pass from one set of rollers to another setwhich would allow distortion to be imparted to the book as it engageseach pair of pressure rollers. The guide plates between the lowerrollers are preferably immovably mounted on the bearing blocks 8, buteach of the guide plates between the upper rollers. is secured to thebearing blocks ll] carrying the preceding roller 9 and is movabletherewith. An inclination of each guide plate towards its followingroller is possible by permitting the bearing blocks that support therollers 9 to turn slightly about the axes of the rollers, against theaction of springs. Such inclination of a plate is effected when theshoulder 2| of the bearing block on which it is supported is presseddownwardly by the co-operating extension 20 on an adjacent bearingblock. If desired, however, the said guide plates may be supported, atthe side thereof remote from the feeding-in end of the apparatus, uponthe bearing of an adjacent roller whilst its side or end nearest thefeeding-in end of the apparatus is held in a requisite position bysprings. Upon adjustment of the roller, the guide plate supported by thebearing thereof will assume a suitable inclination.

Furthermore, in order to grip the books to be 1 passed between therollers to a greater extent than is possible by the convergence of theupper and lower belts and to ensure that they will be retained in arequisite position as they are fed to the pressure rollers, a pair ofgripping rollers 34 may. be disposed in front of the first pair ofdriven pressure rollers. The rollers 34, which do not extend the entirewidth of the belts or bands, are mounted in plates 35 which arerespectively secured to bearing blocks 8 and H] of the first pair ofpressure rollers and are spaced a short distance away from the belts orbands.

Books are fed from a table 36 on to the upper reach of the endlesstravelling band 2, preferably two at a time, in which case the sewingswells of the two books are remote from one another. The books thus fedto theendlessband 2 are conveyed towards the pressure rollers, butbefore they reach such rollers they are engaged by the-lower reach ofthe upper endless travelling band I. The books are thus-gripped betweenthe twoendless bands and thereafter the pressure is increased upon thatpart of each book which passes between the rollers 34. Thereafter thebooks pass between the several series or pairs of pressure rollers and,after passing between all of the pressure rollers, they are carried bythe endless band 2 towards a receiving table 31 and prior to reachingsuch table the upper endless band I is moved out of engagementtherewith.

Should the books that are fed to the machine be of greater thicknessthan that to which the machine has been adjusted, the bearing blocks l0and the bearing blocks [3 are raised against the action of the springs15, thereby preventing damage to the machine. The rollers 3 and 4 aresimilarly resiliently mounted.

It'can thus be seen that the machine enables a number of books to besuccessively subjected to pressure in a rapid manner.

I claim:

1. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of boo-ks to pressure,comprising two series of rollers forming a plurality of pairs ofpressure rollers, plates extending between adjacent rollers of eachseries, a travelling endless band having a reach which passes betweenthe series of rollers and engages one series thereof and the platesextending therebetween, and a second travelling endless band having areach which passes'between the two series of rollers and engages thesecond series thereof and the plates therebetween.

2. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell ofbooks to pressure,comprising a series of rollers, fixed bearings in which said rollers aremounted, a second series of rollers, adjustable bearings in which'saidsecond series of rollers are mounted,

said series of rollers forming a plurality of pairs of pressurerollers,'.plates extending between adjacent rollers of each series, a.travelling endless band having a reach which passes between the seriesof rollers and engages one series thereof and the plates'extendingtherebetween, and a second travelling endless band having a reach whichpasses between the two series of rollers and engages the second seriesthereof and the plates therebetween.

3. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising a series of rollers, fixed bearings in which said rollers aremounted, a second series of rollers, adjustable bearings in which saidsecond series of rollers are mounted, said series of rollers forminga'plurality of pairs of pressure rollers, means for positively drivingeach roller, plates extending between adjacent rollers of each series, atravelling endless band having a reach which passes between the seriesof rollers and engages one series thereof and the plates extendingtherebetween, and a second travelling endless band having a reach whichpasses between the two series of rollers and engages the secondseriesthereof and the plates therebetween.

4. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising a series of spindles,

rollers fixedly mounted on said spindles, plates extending betweenadjacent rollers, an endless travelling band the upper reach of whichhas its central portion passing over and engaging said rollers andplates and the end portions of which act as conveyors, a second seriesof spindles, rollers fixedly mounted on said spindles and arranged inregister with and above the first series of rollers, plates extendingbetween adjacent rollers of said second series, and-a second endlesstravelling band having the central part of its lower reach passing underand in contact with said second series of rollers and plates and havingits end portions inclined towards the upper reach of said second endlessband.

5. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books topressure,comprising a series of spindles, rollers fixedly mounted on saidspindles, plates extending between adjacent rollers, an endlesstravelling band the upper reach of which has its central portion passingover and engaging said rollers and plates and the end portions of whichact as conveyors, a second series of spindles, rollers fixedly mountedon said spindles and arranged in register with and above the firstseries of rollers, plates extending between adjacent rollers of saidsecond series, a second endless travelling band having the central partof its lower reach passing under and in contact with said second seriesof rollers and plates and having its end portions inclined towards theupper reach of said second endless band, and means for adjustingindependently the distance between each roller of one series and theroller of the second series in register therewith.

6. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising a series of spindles, rollers fixedly mounted on saidspindles, plates extending between adjacent rollers, an endlesstravelling band the upper reach of which has its central portion passingover and engaging said rollers and plates and the end portions of whichact as conveyors, a second series of spindles, rollers fixedly mountedon said spindles and arranged in register with and above the firstseries of rollers, plates extending between adjacent rollers of saidsecond series, a second endless travelling band having the central partof its lower reach passing under and in contact with said second seriesof rollers and platesand having its end portions inclined towards theupper reach of said second endless band, means for adjustingindependently the distance between each-roller of one series and theroller of the second series in register therewith, gear wheels keyed onthe spindle of each shaft, a train of gear wheels connecting the gearwheels on each roller spindle of one series with the gear wheels on theroller spindles of the registering rollers of the second series, and anarticulated frame carrying the train of gearing connecting each pair ofrollers.

'7. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising two series of spindles with their axes parallel to oneanother, driving means for rotating said spindles, rollers fixedlymounted on said spindles and forming a plurality of pairs of pressurerollers, platesv extending between adjacent rollers of each series,fixed bearing blocks in which the spindles of one series are carried,movable bearing blocks in which the spindles of the second series arecarried, means for adjusting independently each pair of movable bearingblocks carrying a spindle towards or away from the fixed bearing blocks,a travelling endless band having a reach which passes between the seriesof rollers and engages one series thereof and the plates extendingtherebetween, and a second travelling endless band having a reach whichpasses between the two series of rollers and engages the second seriesthereof and'the plates therebetween.

8. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising two series of spindles with their axes parallel to oneanother, driving means for rotating said spindles, rollers fixedlymounted on said spindles and forming a plurality of pairs of pressurerollers, plates extending between adjacent rollers of each series, fixedbearing blocks in which the spindles of one series are carried,resiliently mounted and movable bearing blocks in which the spindles ofthe second series are carried, means for adjusting independently eachpair of movable bearing blocks carrying a spindle towards or away fromthe fixed bearing blocks, a travelling endless band having a reach whichpasses between the series of rollers and engages one series thereof andthe plates extending therebetween, and a second travelling endless bandhaving a reach which passes between the two series of rollers andengages the second series thereof and the plates therebetween.

9. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising two series of spindles with their axes parallel to oneanother, rollers fixedlymounted on said spindles and forming a pluralityof pairs of pressure rollers, gearing for connecting the spindles of oneseries to rotate them in one direction, gear wheels keyed on eachspindle, a train of gearing connecting each gear wheel on one series ofspindles with a gear wheel on a spindle of the second series ofspindles, an articulated frame for carrying each train of gearing,plates extending between adjacent rollers of each series, fixed bearingblocks in which the spindles of one series are carried, resilientlymounted and movable bearing blocks in which the spindles of the secondseries are carried, means for adjusting independently each pair ofmovable bearing blocks carrying a spindle towards or away from the fixedbearing blocks, a travelling endless band having a reach which passesbetween the series of rollers and engages one series thereof and theplates extending therebetween, and a second travelling endless bandhaving a reach which passes between the of books to pressure, comprisingtwo series of spindles with their axes parallel to one another, rollersfixedly mounted on said spindles and forming a plurality of pairs ofpressure rollers, gearing for connecting the spindles of one series torotate them in one direction, gear wheels keyed on each spindle, a trainof gearing connecting each gear wheel on one series of spindles with agear wheel on a spindle of the second series of spindles, an articulatedframe for carrying each train of gearing, plates extending betweenadjacent rollers of each series, fixed bearing blocks in which thespindles of one series are carried, resiliently mounted and movablebearing blocks in which the spindles of the second series are carried,means for adjusting independently each pair of movable bearing blockscarrying a spindle towards or away from the fixed bearing blocks, ashoulder on each movable bearing block, a lug on each of said movablebearing blocks to engage the shoulder on an adjacent movable bearingblock, a travelling endless band having a reach which passes between theseries of rollers and engages one series thereof and the platesextending therebetween, and a second travelling endless band having areach which passes between the two series of rollers and engages thesecond series thereof and the plates therebetween.

11. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising two series of spindles with their axes parallel to oneanother, rollers fixedly mounted on said spindles and forming aplurality of pairs of pressure rollers, gearing for connecting thespindles of one series to rotate them in one direction, gear wheelskeyed on each spindle, a train of gearing connecting each gear wheel onone series of spindles with a gear wheel on a spindle of the secondseries of spindles, an articulated frame for carrying each train ofgearing, plates extending between ad- 00 ried, means for adjustingindependently each 2 pair of movable bearing blocks carrying a spindletowards or away from the fixed bearing blocks, a shoulder on eachmovable bearing block, a lug on each of said movable bearing blocks toengage the shoulder on an adjacent movable bearing block, a travellingendless band having a reach whose central portion passes between theseries of rollers and engages one series and the plates extendingtherebetween, and a second travelling endless band having a reach whosecentral part passes between the two series of rollers and engages thesecond series thereof and the plates therebetween and whose end portionsare inclined away from the first endless band.

12. A machine for subjecting the sewing swell of books to pressure,comprising two series of spindles with their axes parallel to oneanother, rollers fixedly mounted on said spindles and forming aplurality of pairs of pressure rollers, gearing for connecting thespindles of one series to rotate them in one direction, gear wheelskeyed on each spindle, a train of gearing connecting each gear wheel onone series of spindles with a gear wheel on a spindle of the secondseries of spindles, an articulated frame for carrying l each train ofgearing, plates extending between adjacent rollers of each series, fixedbearing blocks in which the spindles of one series are carried,resiliently mounted and movable bearing blocks in which the spindles ofthe second series m.

are carried, means for adjusting independently engages the second seriesthereof and the plates therebetween and whose end portions are inclinedaway from the first endless band, and gripping rollers which engage theendless bands in front of the pressure rollers.

ROBERT LEIGHTON.

